District Digest

March 16, 2022

In this issue…

• Covid Dashboard

• Calendar Reminders

• Community Engagement Sessions

• Talking with Kids about Ukraine

• Registration Question (Public Act 102-0543)

• State Champs Visit Forest Glen

• Hadley Presents The Little Mermaid Jr.

• St. Baldrick’s at Hadley

The District 41 COVID Dashboard is a way for the public to monitor both the number of positive covid cases reported for students and staff. The dashboard will be updated every Monday by the end of the day.

CLICK HERE for the District 41 COVID-19 dashboard.

SIP Day, March 25

Friday, March 25, is a scheduled SIP Day in District 41. On eight SIP Days throughout the year, students in 1st through 8th grade will have early dismissal at 11:30 a.m. to allow time for building staff members to work on school improvement activities. Kindergarten students will not attend school on SIP Days. For the March 25 SIP Day, AM Pre-K students WILL attend school at Forest Glen from 8:15 a.m - 10:45 a.m. PM Pre-K WILL NOT have school on March 25. For the full list of 2021-22 SIP Day dates and the Pre-K SIP Day attendance times calendar CLICK HERE.

Spring Break Dates
District 41 schools will be closed for spring break, March 28 - April 1.

The Board of Education approved a partnership with community engagement consultant EOSullivan to help develop a plan for the future of our schools. Working together, we will develop a community-driven plan that will make our schools better than ever so we can continue to deliver the excellence that everyone has come to expect.

To kick off the process, ALL stakeholders are invited to attend one of our upcoming public engagement sessions to help review the district’s progress to date and discuss current challenges and potential solutions to address the district’s needs going forward. This is a part of a four phase public engagement process.

Please plan to attend one of these sessions (Phase I):

• Saturday, March 19 -- 10 to 11:30 am – Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, 350 Bryant Ave., Glen Ellyn.

• Thursday, March 24 -- 6:30 to 8 pm – Churchill Elementary, 240 Geneva Road, Glen Ellyn.

• Monday, April 4 -- 6:30 to 8 pm – Virtual meeting (Click HERE to register).

Please RSVP for one of the sessions listed above by CLICKING HERE so we know how many people to expect.

We hope you are able to attend one of the public engagement sessions that will help determine the future of our schools.

As the world watches news of what is happening in Ukraine, children may have questions and/or feel some level of distress. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) offers this resource for families and educators: Supporting Youth Affected by the War in Ukraine: Tips for Caregivers and Educators Everyone reacts differently to world events such as Ukraine. Keeping conversations age appropriate will help children navigate their feelings about what they are hearing and seeing in the news. The NASP offers these age appropriate suggestions for talking with children about Ukraine:

Elementary

• Let children’s questions tell you what information they need. Don’t assume they are concerned about the same things you are.

• Avoid offering unnecessary frightening details.

• Provide brief, simple information with reassurance. One way to do this is with the use of a broadening technique for responding to questions (e.g., “It sounds like you have some concerns about what’s next. Let’s talk about how our school/community/country is striving to keep us safe.”).

• Clarify misconceptions or misinformation.

Upper Elementary and Early Middle School

• Answer questions and assist in separating reality from fantasy.

• Specify the protective actions of adults.

Upper Middle and High School

• Emphasize youth's role in safety at home and at school and how to access support.

• Validate feelings and thoughts, and provide the facts needed to appraise the degree of personal threat.

• Should youth request it, allow for conversations about political dimensions of the conflict.

For an NASP resource about talking to children about violence overall, Click here. As always, please contact your school principal or social worker if you have any questions or are in need of support.

When District 41 began registration for next school year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) required school districts to ask an optional question of families about student gender and sexual orientation (Public Act 102-0543). ISBE has since announced that it is postponing its implementation of this Act. As a result, ISBE will no longer ask districts to collect this information for the 2022-2023 school year and District 41 has removed the form off of registration. The information that District 41 has already collected during registration will not be reported to the ISBE, but will be shared with the principals of each school.

In the meantime, ISBE has indicated it will be forming a working group of educators, LGBTQ+ advocates, families, and students from across the state to advise on data collection and to ensure the data are collected with all students’ safety and privacy in mind. ISBE will conclude this working group by October 2022 “in order to provide the field with revised guidance or to propose legislation to amend the requirement before school registration begins for the 2023-24 school year.”

Just two days after winning the IHSA Class 4A State Championship, members of the Glenbard West Boys Basketball team visited Forest Glen! Braden Huff (former Forest Glen student), Caden Pierce (former Ben Franklin student) and Jack Cardwell (former Churchill student) visited the classrooms of Mr. Caspers and Ms. Montgomery. During this surprise visit, the players answered questions and shared memories of their unforgettable season.They discussed the lessons they learned, the goals they set, the obstacles they faced and the importance of being a team. They also challenged the class to reach for their goals. Thank you to the players for visiting and for connecting with the Forest Glen students! Go Hilltoppers!

There is still time to get your tickets! CLICK HERE

The Hadley Builders Club is hosting a St. Baldrick’s event at Hadley to raise awareness about Childhood Cancer! So far five shavees registered to “Brave the Shave” on March 25. Want to join this event to cure childhood cancer? Students can register with the links below. (must have permission form guardian).

Go to Hadley’s St. Baldrick’s website to sign up to participate or become a shavee.

Parents!! We need licensed hair stylists/ barbers. If you are a licensed hair stylist/ barber and could shave heads the morning of March 25, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM so we can get you registered.

The community is making a big difference in the lives of children with cancer. Thank you to all who are supporting this cause!

About the Builders Club

The Hadley Builders Club focuses on community service projects and leadership. The group of 6-8th grade students works collaboratively to research community needs and how we can best support those needs. The group works hands-on to create a better community. Projects will range from fundraising events, building projects, and supplies collection for various needs. Meetings 1-2 times a month + events. Contact Mrs. Baumgartner for more information, kbaumgartner@d41.org.

Email: webmaster@d41.org
Website: www.d41.org
Location: 793 North Main Street, Glen Ellyn, IL, USA
Phone: 630.790.6400
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Twitter: @glenellynd41